Two piece container closure



Feb. 15, 1966 H. F SEIBERT TWO PIECE CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed May 25, 1964 FIGZ.

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INVENTOR HOWARD F SEIBERT %'TO NEY United States Patent 3,235,113 TWO PIECE CONTAINER CLOSURE Howard F. Seibert, Ingham, Mich, assignor to American Home Products Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 25, 1964, Ser. No. 369,980 4 claims. Cl. 215-11 This invention relates to an improved closure assembly. More particularly this invention relates to a novel container closure particularly adapted for use on a disposable ready to feed infant food container.

In recent years there has been increasing and rapidly growing interest in the development and use of disposable food containers particularly in the field of baby feeding. Many such containers are described in patent literature typical of which are U.S. 3,097,357; US. 2,931,731; U.S. 2,876,113; US. 2,628,913; US. 2,628,912; US. 2,628,911; US. 2,628,910; U.S. 2,558,195; US. 2,519,986; US. 2,438,299; and others.

Devices of the foregoing type are often characterized by expensive closure assemblies which are costly to fabricate, involve a plurality and variety of parts and are often not designed to permit sterilization of the container and contents after filling in such a manner that the user has nothing more to do at the time of use than to remove the closure assembly, place a nipple in position and feed.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved container closure which is ideally suited for use on disposable ready to feed infant food containers. The closure assembly of the present invention is particularly characterized in having two major parts, is inexpensive to fabricate and is particularly adapted for use with standard infant feeding nipples. In addition it is of such a structure and design that a portion thereof can be conveniently reused, after initial use, for instant feeding if so desired.

Additional features of advantage of the assembly of the present invention include the ability of the bottle finish, a bottle container being preferred, and closure to withstand internal pressures generated during heat ster ilization of the filled containers. A further feature of the present invention is the high reliability factor in the integrity of the seal throughout processing. Additionally, the assembly permits mechanical and visual inspection of the seal on the finished product both at the time of manufacture and by the user immediately prior to use. A further feature of interest in the fabrication in a convenient size and of a design adapted to receive with ease a standard nipple for feeding purposes.

These and other advantages are obtainable according to the present invention which in its broadest aspect comprises an inner sealing disk comprising a metallic top layer and a lower nonmetallic gasket layer coextensive therewith, nesting in a container cap having a nipple receiving hole centrally located therein. The cap is provided with means to permit removably sealed engagement with the neck of a container when the cap is placed thereon. The structure and relative size relationship of the sealing disk to the cap is such that sterilization of the container can be effected without leakage but with very simple, finger pressure, removal when the container cap is to serve as a nipple retaining ring.

In the drawing,

FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of the essential parts of the cover assembly.

FIGURE 2 is a partial sectional view showing the cover with a nipple positioned therein for use.

FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 are top plane views of the assembly showing alternate embodiments of the locking means for maintaining the removable sealing disk in position.

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view of the cover of the assembly showing the reverse edge on the nipple receiving hole of the cover.

FIGURE 7 is a cross sectional view of the cover of the assembly showing an upturned edge of the nipple receiving hole of the cover. i

FIGURE 8 is a cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the cover assembly showing the sealing disk as the primary closure means of the container.

Reference now to the drawings and to the description which follows will provide a better understanding of the new and improved closure assembly of the present invention.

In FIGURE 1, it will be noted that numeral 2 generally discloses a food container, preferably of glass, which for purposes of the present invention may be of a size and shape similar to the standard glass jars in which infant foods are customarily packaged and distributed.

Container 2 narrows at the upper end thereof to a neck 4 having on the outside thereof threads 6 which serve as the locking or closure means to lock a cover on position as described hereinafter. These complement the locking means on the inside wall of the cover 10. While the threads 6 are shown as discontinuous, a continuous thread, common to closures of this type, will serve equally as well. Alternatively other standard closure locking means such as the roll on thread type or the lug type may be provided on neck 4 as desired.

Positioned above neck 4 (FIGURE 1), there is shown the closure assembly of the present invention. The closure assembly generally identified as 8 comprises essentially two members, the cover 10 and the seal disk 20. Cover 10 which may be conveniently constructed of metal, plastic or other suitable materials having the requisite strength and heat stability to Withstand the sterilization temperatures and the pressure of packaging, includes the top 11, generally circular in configuration, which has integral therewith at its periphery an upper depending side wall 12. Side wall 12 terminates in an outwardly flaring skirt 13. The latter in turn terminates in a lower vertical side wall 14 which depends from skirt 13. Lower side wall 14 includes the locking means 15, lug or other suitable type, which are adapted to engage the thread 6 on neck 4 to insure a tight fit when cover assembly 8 is placed thereon in such a manner so as to effect closure of the invention.

It will be noted that top 11 of cover 10 includes a depressed circular center portion identified as 16 which has in the center thereof a nipple receiving hole 18. Reference to FIGURES 6 and 7 show alternate embodiments of the construction of the edge of nipple receiving hole 18. It will be noted with respect to FIGURE 6 that the edge of top 11 has been turned under asin 18a. Such a construction provides a convenient shoulder for the seating of the nipple and provides in addition a feature of safety particularly when cover 10 is fabricated of metal. A further alternative of nipple receiving edge of hole 18 is shown in FIGURE 7 where the edge of hole 18 is turned upwardly and back as at 18b.

Referring now again to FIGURE 1, it will be notedthat positioned immediately beneath top 11 is a sealing disk or washer generally identified as 20. Sealing disk 20 is constructed of an upper layer or member 22 and a lower member, a nonmetallic gasket 24. Upper member 22 is preferably metallic and may include in the center thereof a flat, circular, slightly raised portion 23 which serves as a vacuum indicator. The latter, which may be referred to as a vacuum button indicates the presence or absence of a sufficient vacuum under standard packaging conditions; the indication being obtained on the basis of whether the button is indented or distended. The latter position occurs when there is insuflicientvacuum present in the container. Under normal conditions, the button is so contoured that its normally flat upper surface raises up slightly into the nipple hole 18 into the depressed section 16 of top 11. In the absence of the vacuum button top member 22 will be a fiat surface. Additionally the vacuum button may take a shape other than that described, such as for example a stepped configuration rather than the generally flat surface shown.

To insure the necessarysealing, members 22 and 24 are normally positioned to maintain a fluid tight relationship. This is accomplished by cementing and pressure during the fabrication of sealing disk 20. The gasket 24 is generally constructed of a heat stable plastic or rubber material, having a yieldable outer surface particularly at the periphery to insure a fluid tight fit on neck 4 when the cover assembly is placed thereon in locked position.

Gasket 24 may be of a continuous type, coextensive with the upper member 22. Alternatively gasket 24 may be of the washer type with a hole in the center thereof. The size of such a hole may vary in accordance with standard gasket construction. Gasket 24 can of course take the form of a narrow circular ring of a width sufficient to provide the necessary seal when placed on the bottle neck. In such construction, gasket 24 may be constructed of rubber, plastic or other materials of sufficient strength and heat stability to provide the necessary seal under the conditions of vacuum and sterilization to which the container is subjected. It is of course further understood that the latter type of a gasket rather than being a unitary and separate member is designed to fit against or adhere to top layer or member 22 may be constructed as an integral part thereof in accordance with standard gasket formation procedures normally associated with the gasketing of food containers of the type here involved.

It will be noted that immediately below but in contact with gasket 24 are the locking means 19. The latter which may take any one of several configurations or forms, including the nubs or protrusions 19, are so positioned at the lower inside edge of upper side wall 12 that it provides a means for removably nesting and locking disk 20 against the bottom side of top 11 of cover 10. The removable nesting of disk 20 is one of the unique features of the cover assembly of the present invention since it provides an easy means for removing the disk from FIG- URE l merely by the application of finger pressure after r assembly 8 has been removed from the closed sealed position. This feature thus permits the fitting or positioning of nipple 30 (FIGURE 2) in position as shown. It is therefore obvious that the resilency of disk 20 must be such at its periphery, and at its depth of locking means 19, that finger pressure of a woman through hole 18 can bring about easy removal of disk 20 from cap it In FIGURES 4 and 5 there are shown alternate embodiments of locking means 19. In FIGURE 4, the disk nesting lock means takes the form of a plurality of horizontal inwardly projecting lugs 19', positioned around the lower inside edge of upper wall 12. The projections 19' are subject to the same limitation on their width (radial length) as has been described with respect to nubs 19. A further alternative nesting lock means is shown in FIGURE 5 in which an annular rim or bead 19" is positioned at the lower edge of side wall 12 substantially at the junction of the latter and of skirt 13. It should be understood that if side wall 12 is extended or a configuration for top used in which there is but a single side wall 12, locking means 19 must be so positioned on the inside thereof so as to force disk to nest tightly against the bottom side of top 11 but can be easily removed by finger pressure.

As has been previously described, the cover assembly of this invention is particularly adapted for use on an infant feeding container of the type shown in FIGURES l and 2. When assembly 8 is so used, it is conventional practice to factory fill the bottle with milk or other food components and seal on the neck thereof an assembly 8 by turning the cover in the locking direction in accordance with the standard vacuum packaging procedures. The container is then subjected to high temperature sterilization during which time the contents must be maintained in a leak free, air tight condition. This condition is accomplished by gasket 24 of disk 20 being pressed in sealed relationship with neck 4. It will be noted that when locking means 19 is in the annular rim or bead form of FIGURE 5 it adds to the effectiveness of this seal by pressing against the upper edge of neck 4.

When it is desired to feed the contents of the container to an infant, assembly 8 is removed by unscrewing cover 10 thereby removing seal disk 20 from the top of neck 4. Pressure is then applied to disk 20 on the vacuum button 23 for removing disk 20 from cover 10. Nipple is then seated in position as shown in FIGURE 2, with cover 10 being returned to neck 4 to seal the nipple flange of 32 to a locked position. This is accomplished by the pressure exerted against 32 by the depressed section 16 to top 11. As will be immediately apparent the user now has a complete baby feeding unit without the necessity of using separate bottle or nipple holder rings as is the customary practice. Moreover, the assembly can be reused if desired for further feeding. However, it is contemplated with the extremely low cost of construction of this cover assembly that the same may be disposed of after a single usage without economic hardship or disadvantage. This, however, is of course obtained at no extra cost when one obtains by reason of the factory filling operation, control and sterilizationprocedures, a feeding composition which is ready to use on the opening of the container without further sterilization or processing steps being required which is conventional in the old type of baby feeding operations.

Referring now to FIGURE 8, there will be seen an alternate embodiment of the present invention in which the sealing disk 20, identified herein as 69, has been. modified slightly by extending the top 62 and gasket; 64 outwardly a sutficient distance so that they can be locked as by crimping or other means over the annularrim 47 at the top of neck 44. In this construction it is of course necessary that cover be modified and adjusted in size and configuration so as to fit snugly over disk 60. While it is not essential, it is preferred that cover 40 be so constructed that locking means when placed in position causes additional pressure to be brought to bear on disk 60. It is of course understood that the assembly components of 68 generally identified as top 51, side wall 52, depressed area 56 and nipple receiving hole 58 are similar to and perform the same functions as shown with respect to equivalent components shown in FIGURE 2.

After factory filling in the manner described in FIG.- URE 2, the embodiment of FIGURE 8 is used in a similar manner. Cover 40 is unscrewed and sealing disk 601 removed in this case by a hook type opener. A nipple: is then inserted in cover 40 and the cover 40 replaced; on neck 44 in a manner similar to that shown in FIG- URE 2.

While the foregoing description has been primarily directed to the figures and embodiments shown, it is to be understood that such description was primarily for the purpose of providing an understanding and description of the invention and it is not intended in any way as a limitation on the same. The invention is to be limited only by the claims appended hereto.

The invention claimed is:

1. A container cover assembly comprising, an inner sealing disk adapted to nest in sealed relationship with a container cap and removable therefrom by finger pressure, said sealing disk comprising top and bottom members in fluid tight relationship, said top member being metallic and having a centrally located, circular, raised, flat vacuum indicator therein, said bottom member being a nonmetallic gasket being coextensive with said top member, said cap having a top, and upper and lower side Walls, said top being circular and having a slightly indented center portion, a nipple receiving hole centrally positioned within the indented center portion of said top, said upper side wall being integral with the top and terminating in an outwardly flaring skirt from which the lower side wall depends, said lower side wall having on the inner surface thereof closure means to provide removably sealed relationship of the cap and sealed disk with the neck of a container when the cap is placed thereon, and sealing disk nesting lock means on the inside of said upper wall positioned to maintain said disk in fluid tight relationship with the top surface of said cover when the latter is mounted on a container, said sealing disk nesting lock means extending radially inwardly a short distance beneath the peripheral edge of said sealing disk, and said sealing disk having said peripheral edge flexible, whereby said disk may be pressed past the inward radial extent of said sealing disk nesting lock means by finger pressure for removing said sealing disk from said cap to render accessible the nipple receiving hole in said cap.

2. A container closure assembly as calimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing disk nesting lock means comprises a plurality of inwardly extending lugs annularly positioned around the inside of said cap upper wall.

3. A container closure assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sealing disk nesting lock means comprises an annular bead positioned on the side of said cap upper wall at a heighth to insure fluid tight relationship between the disk and the cap top when the cap is closed in a container.

4. A disposable, ready to feed infant foot container comprising, a container having a reduced neck defining a circular mouth, a mouth sealing disk positioned across said mouth having a top metallic surface, said top metallic surface having centrally located therein a slightly raised, fiat, vacuum indicator, said lower gasket surface being coextensive with top metallic surface and in fluid tight relationship therewith, a cover adapted to fit over said disk so as to effect a nesting of the latter therein, said cover having a fiat top surface which includes a nipple receiving hole into which the vacuum indicator rises slightly when the disk and cover are in the position of sealing said mouth, said cover having a side wall depending from the flat top surface, said side wall having at the lower inside edge thereof means to effect a sealed locking relationship between said disk and the neck by the application of pressure thereto on closing, said side Wall having on the inside upper portion thereof sealing disk locking means to permit the cover to retain said sealing disk therein when not sealed on the container month, said sealing disk nest ing lock means extending radially inwardly a short distance beneath the peripheral edge of said sealing disk, and said sealing disk having said peripheral edge flexible, whereby said disk may be pressed past the inward radial extent of said sealing disk nesting lock means by finger pressure for removing said sealing disk from said cap to render accessible the nipple receiving the hole in said cap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,137,725 4/ 1915 Carvalho. 1,372,672 3/1921 Croiford. 2,458,360 1/1949 Fay et al 215--97 2,558,195 6/1951 Pearl 215-41 2,796,062 6/ 1957 Tupper. 3,160,302 12/1964 Chaplin 215- GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner. THERON E. CONDON, Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER COVER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING, AN INNER SEALING DISK ADAPTED TO NEST IN SEALED RELATIONSHIP WITH A CONTAINER CAP AND REMOVABLE THEREFROM BY FINGER PRESSURE, SAID SEALING DISK COMPRISING TOP AND BOTTOM MEMBERS IN FLUID TIGHT RELATIONSHIP, SAID TOP MEMBER BEING METALLIC AND HAVING A CENTRALLY LOCATED, CIRCULAR, RAISED, FLAT VACUUM INDICATOR THEREIN, SAID BOTTOM MEMBER BEING A NONMETALLIC GASKET BEING COEXTENSIVE WITH SAID TOP MEMBER, SAID CAP HAVING A TOP, AND UPPER AND LOWER SIDE WALLS, SAID TOP BEING CIRCULAR AND HAVING A SLIGHTLY INDENTED CENTER PORTION, A NIPPLE RECEIVING HOLE CENTRALLY POSITIONED WITHIN THE INDENTED CENTER PORTION OF SAID TOP, SAID UPPER SIDE WALL BEING INTEGRAL WITH THE TOP AND TERMINATING IN AN OUTWARDLY FLARING SKIRT FROM WHICH THE LOWER SIDE WALL DEPENDS, SAID LOWER SIDE WALL HAVING ON THE INNER SURFACE THEREOF CLOSURE MEANS TO PROVIDE REMOVABLY 